MEMORABLE MOMENTS
What were the finest rounds and most impressive punches?
BEST MALE ROUND
Round Two – LEWIS RICHARDSON (England) vs BILLY LE POULLAIN (Guernsey) RICHARDSON boxed his way to the opening round on all the cards and was winning the second as well until Le Poullain smashed a southpaw left off his jaw.
Richardson’s knees dipped and Le Poullain soon found the same spot with another thunderbolt. It looked like Richardson was going to go down or maybe grab. He didn’t. He started punching back.
His hooks and uppercuts connected with Le Poullain’s chin and drove him back across the ring, a final southpaw left forcing an ‘eight’ count.
There wasn’t time for any more mayhem before the bell and Richardson went on to box his way to victory in a quieter last round.
BEST FEMALE ROUND
Round Three – CARLY MCNAUL (Northern Ireland) vs TEDDY NAKIMULI (Uganda) UGANDAN teenager Nakimuli had to wait until the penultimate day to box and then spent six minutes shipping punches.
Mcnaul was so dominant she led 20-16 on four cards and 20-15 on the other going into the last.
Nakimuli wasn’t discouraged and at the sound of the bell she went straight on the attack and had her successes as they traded punches furiously.
Mcnaul still won the round on all the judges’ cards, but Nakimuli won hearts with her spirited rally.
BEST MALE PUNCH
KIARAN MACDONALD (England) vs Jake Dodd (Wales) TWO rounds down in the men’s flyweight semi-final, Dodd had to go for broke in the last round. Macdonald knew he was coming and was waiting for him with a southpaw right hook.
The punch was perfectly timed and placed and left Dodd on the seat of his trunks. The Welshman was up quickly, but the referee waved it off.
BEST FEMALE PUNCH
AMY BROADHURST vs Felistus Nkandu (Zambia) NKANDU tried a one-two in the lightweight quarters that Broadhurst blocked on her gloves and the world champion then showed her how it should be done.
The force of the Irish woman’s southpaw left thunderbolt made Nkandu’s front foot leave the canvas and flung her into the ropes for an ‘eight’ count.